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Submission Date

8-1-2024

Document Type

Entry Level Capstone

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

First Mentor

Tina Miller, BA

Second Mentor

Mariana D’Amico, EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Abstract

Substance use is a public health crisis, and adolescents struggle the most with substance use disorder (SUD), which often persists into adulthood and even until midlife (Estreet & Privott, 2021; Mattila et al., 2022; Rothman & Jimenez, 2023; Volkow & Blanco, 2023). School performance is often affected by the adverse effects of drug and alcohol use among adolescents, and multiple risk factors for substance use occur in the school context, such as drug-using peers, availability of substances, and academic challenges (Finch et al., 2017). Recovery high schools (RHSs) are safe and supportive alternative educational environments that provide additional support not offered by public schools for youth and adolescents in recovery from substances. This capstone project aims to explore occupational therapy’s role in addressing SUD in adolescents and to develop programming focused on leadership for peer mentors and overall health and well-being for students attending recovery high schools.

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